Hey, I just wanted to give a massive shout-out and thanks to everyone that leaves a review on this story! I truly appreciate them all and love reading them so much! I feel terrible that I'm the absolute worst at replying to them, but just know that I love every single one and always show them to my husband and do a happy dance.

Here is a nice long chapter, and it has smut! Enjoy!

Rose POV

I stirred awake. Or maybe I hadn't actually been asleep.

It felt like I didn't. A well-rested night felt so far out of reach. Each time I opened my eyes and was greeted with the unfamiliar room we were staying in, my heart would sink.

I was homesick for our pack house. I missed our bed.

My hand reached blindly beside me, finding the other side of the bed empty. The blanket was rumpled from where Dimitri had been laying. After I told him my goal, we ended up cuddling together on the bed. We both needed to be close after what happened. His anger had been radiating from him in the cells; I had felt it but was too lost in my own thoughts to react to it.

It took me a while to reach my decision, but as soon as I said it out loud to Dimitri, I knew it was the right thing to do.

I claimed I never wanted someone to go through what I had, but if I just hid away in Haven when I could be doing so much more, I would be no better than everyone else that turned the other cheek to every omega suffering. If I wanted to end the discrimination against omegas, I needed to attack the source.

Cut off the head.

I touched the spot Dimitri had been; the sheets were cold. I knew he was restless, still deciding the best way to proceed since Andrew was killed, and then I got arrested. He expected me to have a breakdown, and I had been close to having one.

Locked in the cells made me relive the memories I never wanted to think about. Maybe that was what pushed me to decide.

I only managed to sleep because I was exhausted and needed to heal, but I knew I wouldn't be able to rest much longer without him beside me. My eyes shifted to the broken corner of the headboard; I had felt a strange stirring within me since then, an energy that I couldn't explain.

Maybe that was another reason why I couldn't sleep.

I threw back the blanket and got out of bed, pulling on the dressing gown that hung on the closet door. When I first saw the white silk robe, I scoffed at Abe's accommodations being like a hotel. I had to admit the material did feel nice.

It was well into the night, only a couple of hours away from sunrise. I ran my fingers through my hair to try to tame it from being laid on and then went in search of my mate.

The house was silent; even the sounds from outside were blocked out. If it wasn't for the street lamps outside, I could almost pretend we were far from Court. The hallways were still unfamiliar, and the scents from others combined meant that I had to focus to pick out Dimitri's.

I detoured finding Dimitri for the kitchen instead, needing comfort food. The fridge was stocked, as was the freezer. I almost moaned at the sight of the ice cream and snatched it up with a grin. It was the perfect flavour.

As I searched for a spoon, I felt the hairs on the back of my neck stand. Suddenly, there was a hand on my arm. I reacted quickly; my heart pounded wildly in my chest and fear clouded my mind.

Someone was attacking me again.

I spun on my heel and struck the person in the face, hearing a low groan of pain in response. I didn't give them a chance to attack and quickly brought them to their knees. The person shouted when I pinned them to the ground, their arm twisted behind their back and my knee between their shoulders.

The kitchen light flicked on, and the haze in my mind faded.

I caught Dimitri's and Ivan's scent, as well as Gordon's. But what was a surprise was that I had Adrian pinned under me.

"What the hell are you doing here?" I asked incredulously.

"I'll gladly explain that once you let me go!" he shouted, eyes pinched in pain.

I released him and backed up a few steps, my hand over my chest. I felt someone next to me and jumped again, relaxing once I realised it was Dimitri. "What happened?" he asked through the link as his hand rested on my back.

I pointed at Adrian, Ivan helping him to his feet. "He came out of nowhere!"

"I called your name, and you punched me," Adrian shot back, a bloody nose as proof.

"That was after you grabbed me!" I advanced on him again; my fear transformed into anger, but Dimitri caught my arm and pulled me back.

"How did you get in here?" Dimitri aimed at Adrian; I could hear the exhaustion in his voice.

"Well," Adrian started, aggressively fixing his shirt.

Then it occurred to me—Adrian was able to sneak up on me. "How the fuck?" I asked, cutting Adrian off, and his eyes met mine with a knowing look. "How did you do it?"

Dimitri tilted his head at me, "Do what?"

I inhaled and shook my head in disbelief. "How come you don't have a scent, Adrian?"

Adrian grinned, "I have a lot to tell you, little Luna."

Adrian had left Haven the same day as us, but he had taken Sydney home first. He knew he would be coming to Court and didn't want to bring her; she would be treated worse than I was. Dimitri told me Adrian had some contacts he would try for information on Nathan, and it seemed he had found something.

He sat on a sofa, elbow on the arm of the chair while he held some ice to his nose. "You do not hold back," he shot at me, wincing as he moved the ice over his face.

"Don't sneak up on me," I retorted, my arms crossed and the robe pulled tight around me. "How come you don't have a scent?" I asked again. It set me on edge that he didn't have one, it felt wrong—and it reminded me of Jesse.

He didn't have a scent that night, and neither did the person that killed Andrew.

That had been in the back of my mind the whole time in the cell. Someone had managed to sneak in there without anyone knowing and killed Andrew in his cell—I was terrified that I would be next.

My fear of dying was only pushed to the side because of the horror I relived feeling the silver burning my skin.

It wasn't just the chains that haunted me in there—it was memories of everything that had happened just because I was an omega. Every time I had been looked down on and disregarded, every cruel word; it was on loop.

And yet, just as I wanted to crumble under it all, Dimitri's voice had broken through it all. His love washed over me and I knew I would never have to live like that again. I found a place where I was safe and loved for who I was.

I made it out, but there were so many others that never would.

The first one that needed to pay was James.

"I told you to call if you had something," Dimitri insisted as he took a seat beside me, uncaring of others, he wrapped an arm around my shoulders and drew me close. His hand took my wrist, lightly tracing the healed skin.

Adrian chuckled, wincing a little, "That would have been no fun, cousin. Plus, I wanted to see if it worked." He nodded at me, "I wasn't planning on a surprise attack, but when I saw you, I couldn't resist."

"Bad time to sneak up on me," I grounded, crossing my arms but staying pressed against Dimitri's side. "There's been a lot happening here."

That sobered Adrian, leaning forward and holding the ice away from his face. "I heard about Andrew, which makes this even more important. That's why I came straight here." He stood and crossed to his bag by the entryway, fishing through it before pulling out a small brown case the size of a brick. "This is what I found."

Dimitri held his hand out, taking the case from Adrian and untangled from me to open it. I looked around his shoulder, intrigued by what he found. Inside were two needles and at least six vials; two were filled with a clear liquid, but the others were filled with a blue liquid.

"Is that…" I inhaled, hesitantly reaching for it only to pull back.

"Yeah," Adrian sighed and retook his spot. His expression lost all cheer and became dark, "Turns out you were right. My dad did have a part in it."

I remember Dimitri's saying Nathan might have some part in the drugs, but I hadn't given it much thought since.

"Compulsion. That's what it's called." He slumped. "A drug made to easily control omegas. It basically takes an alpha's command and makes it a hundred times stronger to the point that you just have to say the words, and the omega would follow it without second guessing it."

I stood up and took a few steps away from the vials. "I know what it does," I muttered, crossing my arms like a shield. I remembered the power of the drug—how it took away my ability to think for myself. "Nathan's making that?"

"A friend of his set up the contract with some scientists to make it. His name isn't listed as the one running it, but he's the one pushing it all."

That had to be how Jesse had it.

"What is the other one?" Dimitri asked. A sense of ease washed over me hearing his voice, the deep sombre tones. I could sense Dimitri's anger—just as he could sense my distress.

"That's a scent blocker," Adrian replied, "You don't even have to inject it. You put a splash of it on your neck and wrists, and it blocks your natural scent." He sat up again, "I didn't even have to check-in. I just hitched a ride in and none of the guards noticed me."

"That's dangerous," I stated. We used the scent of others to know who we could trust and who the enemy was; take that away, and rouges could easily attack. We would have no warning. "Why the fuck would Nathan be making that?"

He shook his head, "I have no idea. I tried digging, but I don't know why or even how he's funding it all." Adrian stared down at the ice pack in his hands, "Both of them are incredibly dangerous to have."

"I agree," Dimitri replied.

I turned and eyed him; he stared at the opened case. "This is it, isn't it?" I asked, drawing his attention, "This is the connection we needed to tie them in with Jesse. Could they test Jesse's body to see if he still has traces of the scent blocker?"

Dimitri was surprised, and then his eyebrows drew together. "Maybe. It's been stored on ice just in case, and Hans said that they weren't releasing the bodies until the investigation was complete."

"So if we can prove it…"

"Then this would be what we need to tie them all together," Dimitri agreed, though his tone lacked enthusiasm. "We have to tread carefully. This could be much bigger than we thought."

A chill went down my spine. Dimitri was right.

There were so many unknowns still. We did know Nathan and James were willing to kill to keep things quiet. They didn't want anyone to know.

…then maybe we had to be loud.

I pursed my lips and decided against voicing my thoughts. It was a dangerous choice, practically painting a target on myself and those around me.

"I'll have to talk to Hans in the morning," Dimitri decided, rubbing his brow. I could see how exhausted he was; I crossed back to him, leaning over the back of the couch and massaging his shoulders.

"We can deal with it in the morning," I agreed, "for now, we should sleep."

There was a lot we had to deal with in the morning, leaving us only a few hours of blissful peace. Dimitri nodded after a moment, closing the case again.

"I'm going to put this somewhere safe. I don't want any of it used," Dimitri growled, aura pulsing a moment with power before calming down again. Adrian held his hands up in surrender.

"That's fine with me. I don't want any of that stuff. When they were telling me about it…" His eyes slowly drifted to me, filled with pity, "It should never have been made."

Dimitri sat on the bed with the case still in hand, a stormy expression on his face. He sat there when I went into the bathroom and hadn't moved since. I studied him, my head tilted to the side.

"If you think any harder you'll hurt yourself," I teased half-heartedly. Dimitri gently shook his head.

"It's just…" he began and then trailed off. Long fingers wrapped around the case, gripped so tightly his knuckles were white. "Everything in here could hurt you—has hurt you. Jesse was able to get close because we couldn't scent him. And you… you were controlled by the compulsion drug. Your choice was taken from you."

"I know." There was no point denying it or arguing. I moved across the room to stand in front of him. "I know, Dimitri, but there's nothing we can do to change the past. We can only focus on how to make the future better now we do know."

I lifted my hands to caress his face, but instead, he dropped the case on the bedside table and caught my wrists. Amber eyes met mine. "I'll do better for you, Roza. I will give everything I have to ensure your safety."

"You already do."

"No," he argued, corners of his eyes pinched in pain, "I failed you today and every time that I wasn't able–"

"Dimitri, you've never failed me," I insisted, breaking his hold to thread my fingers through his hair, angling his head back as I leaned down and kissed him. "You're the one that saved me."

His hands dropped to my thighs, fisting the robe and lifting it up to grasp my bare legs. In a breath, my feet were off the ground, and I found myself pinned to the wall, Dimitri's body holding me up. He kissed me breathlessly, swallowing every sound I made.

One hand trailed up my body, pushing the silk aside and caressing my chest, nimble fingers knowing just how to make me melt for him. I yelped in surprise when I was hoisted up further, no longer at eye level with him. Dimitri pressed his body against mine, fingers dancing along my inner thigh as the other held my wrist against the wall. My eyes rolled back when he took one of my nipples in his mouth, tongue rolling and flicking.

"I pledge myself to you, Roza," his voice filled my head, whispering promises while giving my body pleasure. "My body and soul are yours, and I will give everything I have to protect you."

"Dimitri," I moaned, breath hitching as a finger entered me. "Dimitri, I'm yours," I promised, desperately trying to return his pledge.

He released my breast, drawing back to stare up at me. "Whatever may come, I'll protect you with my last breath. My mate. My Luna."

I wound my fingers in his hair, pulling the strands tight to keep his eyes on me. I didn't need Dimitri to lay his life down for mine; I needed him to live with me. "We'll protect each other," I told him. "No matter what, this is only worth it if I have you by my side. Do you understand me, Alpha?"

His eyes widened—a look of pure wonder covered his face. Streams of sunlight began to shine through the window, the new day breaking and bathing us in the early light. Dimitri's eyes shined—brighter than I had seen them before.

"I understand."

"Good," I praised, clenching around his finger inside me. "Make love to me, Dimitri."

Our lips met, our heads angled to cover the distance between us. I framed his face with my hands, and he took hold of both my thighs again, stepping around from the wall and towards the bed. I was dropped onto the mattress, mourning the loss of contact for a second before Dimitri laid over me. His muscles rippled and tensed, holding his weight as he continued to kiss me passionately.

The tie on the robe was opened, and the sides were pushed apart so I was exposed. Dimitri barely lifted himself more than a few inches off me to strip his clothes, then the glorious feeling of bare skin on mine. He was so warm, practically burning, yet I kept pulling him closer, rolling my hips to feel his press hard against me.

Dimitri's cock rocked against me, sliding between my thighs. I moaned loudly when he shifted forward, and the head caught my entrance. Dimitri teased me, brushing my core but pulling away each time, leaving me a withering mess under him.

"Dimitri. Alpha, please!" I cried. His answering smile made me shiver in anticipation.

His lips dropped to my ear; a husky whisper that turned me to putty in his hands. "I'll make love to you, omega."

Very rarely would he refer to me as such, yet it made my eyes roll back as I pleaded for my alpha to take care of my needs. Dimitri had saved me from many things in my life—the day he claimed me had changed everything—even how I saw myself. Because of him, I no longer hated what I presented as.

I no longer hated myself.

Steady hands rolled me over onto my stomach, laying his body over mine again until there was no space between us. Dimitri slotted between my legs and then angled his cock, finally slipping in. The feeling was so overwhelming I couldn't keep myself quiet as I was filled with pleasure; I pulled a pillow to my face to muffle each cry.

Dimitri's hands found purchase on each breast, squeezing gently as he buried himself deeper in me, kisses peppered across my shoulders and neck. "I love you, Roza."

My words in return were cut off by him withdrawing his cock and plunging it deep inside. Despite the lack of leverage, Dimitri's thrusts were relentless and made my breath hitch each time.

The pace picked up; his cock dragged deliciously with each thrust into my willing body. I was coming apart at the seams and barely cared to hide my whimpers and cries, pleas for him to go faster, harder.

Dimitri's hand covered my mouth, a whispered response before he did just as I asked. If his hand wasn't on my mouth, I was sure I would have woken the whole house.

"I'll take care of you, omega. Come for me."

It was my undoing, pleasure exploded inside me, and I was hopelessly lost in it. I was barely aware of Dimitri as he continued to rut inside me, chasing his own release, only taking notice when his lips wrapped around the bite on my neck. His teeth didn't break the skin, but it almost sent me over the edge again.

I could feel him breathing heavily above me, fingers carefully brushing my hair back my face as he kissed my neck again. With a heave, he rolled us on our side, still buried inside me.

"Sorry," Dimitri huffed, arms wrapping around me to hold me close. "Was that okay?"

I heard the hesitant tone in his voice, and I could guess why. "It was amazing, comrade," I replied as my fingers trailed down his arm around my waist. "I like it when you call me omega," I admitted, feeling him burying his face in my hair. "So many people say it like it's a bad thing, but you don't. It's nice to hear."

Dimitri relaxed behind me. "It just felt right to say after you called me alpha," he explained.

"I liked when you called me your Luna, too."

He chuckled, lips finding their way to my bite. "I like calling you that. My Luna." I dropped my head back, humming in appreciation.

It was a blissful moment, and I intended to enjoy every second of it. I intertwined my fingers with Dimitri's, relishing the feeling of warmth and safety in his arms. Later, I would have to deal with the rest of the world and the problems I had to face, but at that moment, it was just me and my mate watching the sunrise.

We locked the case with the vials in Abe's safe. I hated that we had to explain everything we discovered while he kept cards up his sleeves. But reluctantly, I trusted him. As much as I disliked my parents and the roles they played in what happened to me, I couldn't deny that Abe was on my side.

"I would like to go with you to examine the body," Abe announced from his seat; his eyebrows drawn together in thought.

Abe waved his hand towards his guard, Pavel, and muttered in another language. It was strange to see an alpha working for a beta. While they shared equal rights and standing in our society, there was still the expectation that alphas were the ones in charge.

We were seated at the dining room table, the three of us and Pavel by Abe's side. Dimitri had already explained everything to Ivan earlier and agreed telling Abe was for the best. It was all pieces of the puzzle—each one we got brought us closer to escaping the Council's clutches.

Abe caught me staring at him and tilted his head at me after Pavel walked away. "Gordon explained what happened yesterday," he began.

I sighed at his serious tone and mentally prepared myself for a scolding for my actions. I couldn't help but think that this moment was the closest I would be to having a normal family moment with my father—being chastised at the table for causing a fight.

I reclined back in my chair and waited for the speech about how I needed to stay out of trouble. Dimitri never gave one, but I knew he considered it. After all, I did start a fight after promising I wouldn't.

"It's a shame that the warriors showed before you could do more."

I was surprised, straightening up. "What?" I asked.

Abe smirked. "Gordon mentioned you were training to fight, and I'm glad. I would very much like to see it sometime," he continued, heaping food onto his plate as if we were just talking about the weather. "I did, of course, send someone to deal with the alphas. They won't be bothering you again, I'm sure."

I stared at him in shock. "To deal with? What the hell does that mean?" I looked at Dimitri to see his reaction, but he didn't have one. He expected it.

Dimitri shrugged, coffee in hand, "If he hadn't, I would have."

"You guys can't just go around threatening alphas," I complained and glared at them both.

Abe hummed, "Why not? You did."

My mouth opened and then closed. I crossed my arms and grumbled, "Fine. But next time, tell me first." A dark thought crossed my mind, and I was hesitant to voice it. "You didn't kill them, right?"

That made my father laugh, a gleeful look in his eyes. "Of course not. I wouldn't do that when I'm still in the same city." The answer didn't make me feel better.

"My dad's a psychopath," I declared to Dimitri through our link.

He didn't look up from his cup as he replied, "It does seem that way."

"Do you know when you will be questioned by the Council?" Abe asked, instantly putting me in a sour mood.

Dimitri didn't mention much about what they asked him, but I knew they pissed him off. We weren't supposed to discuss what they asked; it's why they planned to question us one after another, but I threw that off.

I speared my food with my fork. "Haven't heard anything yet," I grumbled. I really hoped I hadn't destroyed every chance we had of having Council members on our side.

Abe hummed, then clasped his hands together. "I forgot to mention, with all the commotion, I believe we've found our man for hire."

I dropped my fork. "The person that killed Andrew?"

"Precisely. I have someone working on confirming our information, but that shouldn't take long."

A chill ran down my spine. I never knew with him if he was implying violence or not. I could picture him holding someone captive and doing whatever needed to get the information he wanted. Again, I wondered how the fuck he and Janine met.

"How do you know you have the right person?" I questioned.

There was a glint in his eyes. "There aren't many that can just sneak into Headquarters and not be seen. Then there is the way Andrew was killed; all hitmen have a signature if you know what to look for." Abe leaned back in his chair, fingers drumming on the tabletop, "I couldn't figure out how they got in until you informed me of the scent blocker, and everything came together."

Dimitri shifted, arms crossed over his chest, "Who is it?"

"No one that runs in your circle," Abe chuckled. "Whoever hired them didn't want someone with ties to Court or any pack. They hired a rogue that had built quite a name for themselves for handling the dirty work for Alphas. If they have a disagreement with another pack, they contact the rogue to deal with the issue."

I saw Dimitri tense from the corner of my eye. "You have the rogue already?"

Frown lines creased Abe's forehead. "Unfortunately, no."

I took a deep breath, ignoring the new layer of apprehension that laid in my stomach like lead. "Well, that's just fantastic," I muttered, gaining Dimitri's attention; there was trepidation in his eyes. I huffed, "You're going to make me stay here and not go with you today, aren't you?"

He winced and sighed, fingers dragging through his loose hair. "Honestly, it would make me feel better. We don't know what people will be like after yesterday either. It might be safer." His tone was hopeful, a silent plea for me not to take offence.

"Fine," I conceded, "Just this once, I'll stay." I couldn't help but pout; I understood his reasoning, but that didn't mean I had to like it.

Though, when I glanced at my wrists and thought of the cell I was in the day before, I was more willing to be somewhere I didn't run the risk of being dragged back to that place. I didn't need any more silver burning my skin.

I reached for Dimitri and placed my hand on his thigh, squeezing it to ground myself. His hand covered mine, his rough fingers intertwined with mine.

Dimitri and Abe left not long after breakfast, leaving me behind. He reminded me Mason and Eddie were there to keep me company, but I didn't search for them. I even had Adrian now if I wanted to hang out with someone, but I didn't want company.

There was a buzzing under my skin—an urge to do something productive.

I told Dimitri I wanted to do more for omegas in Court—now I just had to figure out how the fuck to do it.

The only person I knew of that was actively involved was Tasha, and the last time she asked me to help, I turned her down. I didn't have her number to contact her, but I knew people that did.

I walked through the halls to my room when I overheard shouting. Two male voices were arguing, and I knew who it was instantly.

"Please, you have to believe me," pleaded Gordon, tone strained.

"Why should I?" Ivan replied.

I really didn't want to hear their conversation, but they were in Ivan's room with the door wide open, and I had to walk by to get to mine. I could just turn around and hide out in the library for an hour. Or I could run past…

My chance to back away was dashed when Gordon stormed out into the hall, halting in surprise when he saw me. His nostrils flared, and fists shook at his side. Gordon dropped his eyes, muttering, "Sorry, Rose." Then he brushed past me and down the hall.

I took a hesitant step forward, peering into Ivan's room, seeing him on the edge of his bed with his head in his hands. It wasn't my place… but I hated seeing him like that.

"You okay?" I asked from the doorway.

Ivan sighed, rubbing his eyes. "I will be when we can get back home."

"Same," I agreed.

"I'm sorry you had to hear that," he apologised, giving me a tight smile. "I just can't…" Ivan paused, lips pressed together in a thin line.

I crossed my arms, glancing at where Gordon had disappeared. "Look, I know it isn't my place," I started, "what Gordon did was pretty shitty, but he didn't do it for a bad reason. He just wanted to save his sister."

"It's not the fact that he was working for Zmey," Ivan confessed, "I can understand why he did it."

Okay… I had no idea where to go with the conversation. Why did I have to involve myself? I was never the one in my friend group that was good with relationship advice. I would be better off inviting Lissa over.

"Do you not want a relationship with him?" I tried.

A sad smile pulled at the corners of his lips. "I do," he confessed. "Fuck, Rose, I think he's my mate."

That made me pause, eyes widening. "That's a good thing. He likes you. A lot."

He chuckled, but it wasn't humorous. "I know. But he lied to me. The whole time we were together, and he never said anything. How can I start a relationship when I know he lied to me?"

I shrugged, "My relationship with Dimitri started badly. I mean, I thought Dimitri drugged me and forced me into the whole thing." Ivan raised his brows, staring at me.

"The love story of the century."

"What I'm saying is that just because it started badly doesn't mean it won't get better. If you care for Gordon and want to be with him, you give him another chance," I finished with a scowl. "Maybe actually date him instead of jumping to blowjobs in your office."

"You know, your pep talks need some work, Luna," Ivan criticised.

I huffed in irritation. "Just give it a chance. You two were happy together and he isn't a bad guy." I became flustered, rubbing my brow as I tried to piece together a useful sentence. "Fuck, I don't care. Just do what makes you happy. If it's Gordon, do him."

Wait…

Ivan threw his head back and laughed, the strained expression from before melting away. My cheeks heated with embarrassment, wishing that I never started the conversation. He stood from the bed, joy in his eyes, "Not the most elegant speech, but I can see your point," he replied.

"I just…Don't tell Dimitri I said that," I ordered. I turned and then spun back around to face him, "Just give him a chance," I added, then marched out of his room, scolding myself the whole time.

What made me think I could give relationship advice? I only had one healthy relationship, and that was with my true mate—we were made for each other. Of course, we were happy. I ducked my head and continued directly to my room.

I had finally made it to the door and was seconds away from slamming it shut when a voice called out.

"Rose," Janine called, appearing almost out of nowhere.

I wanted to punch something. "What?" I demanded, my hand on the door handle, ready to slam it closed.

My mother came to a stop, just out of arm's reach, standing tall with an impassive expression. "There's a car outside to take you to meet with the Council."

If you have seen my NSFW drawings on my , you can probably recognise which drawings I've based the smut scene on :3

I hope you liked it, and I hope you all have an amazing week!